Earth is a planet born of fire.
For billions of years, volcanoes have helped create the world we know. From the continents to the air we breathe and even life itself, all have their origins in fire. These processes have created extraordinary...

Grab your mask and snorkel and come on an unforgettable adventure! Great Barrier Reef captures the natural beauty of the world’s largest living wonder and introduces us to the visionaries and citizen scientists who are helping us better understand this...

Join an immersive IMAX adventure to experience the life-saving superpowers and extraordinary bravery of some of the world's most amazing dogs. No stranger to superheroes himself, Chris Evans narrates this inspiring true story about remarkable (or is that...

The Fleet's newest exhibition, Pause|Play, is an invitation for the young and the young-at-heart to leave the digital world behind, hit pause on their busy lives and recapture the nostalgia of play. Science has shown that play has a number of cognitive,...

As Tim Gunn is fond of saying, “Make. It. Work!” And that’s the idea behind our Make-It Workshop, a creative and interactive workshop for innovators and other curious minds. We invite you to stop by Studio X (formerly Tinkering Studio) on Saturdays to...

Stay and play—and save!—until 10 p.m. on Friday nights this summer!
Bring the entire family to experience the Fleet at night! Enjoy extended evening hours at the Fleet in celebration of The Art of Summer in Balboa Park. Peruse Pause|Play late into...

Grownups! You get the science center all to yourself (no kids allowed!) to explore exhibits at a savings, enjoy an adult beverage and rock out to music on Saturday nights this summer.
Adult Recess provides your chance to take over the Fleet's...

The first Monday of every month, seniors 65 and better can enjoy the Science Center exhibits, a show in the Heikoff Giant Dome Theater and a lecture on the quietest day of the month for only $10! No coupons or additional discounts are accepted. The Fleet...

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Join us on the first Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. or 8:15 p.m. for a tour of the solar system narrated by the Fleet’s astronomer. Journey through the cosmos with us as we explore a new topic each month.
For optimal viewing, each show is...

Join us on the second weekend of each month to investigate exciting science topics. Sessions will be filled with new challenges, hands-on activities and interaction with local scientists. Throughout the year, we will explore an array of fields including...

So Watt!

An Illuminating Look at Energy

Owned and operated by San Diego Gas & Electric, the 10,000 square feet of photovoltaic solar panels on the roof of the Fleet Science Center generate up to 100 kilowatts of "green" electricity for San Diego's power grid

Exhibits in "So WATT!" take visitors for a guided tour of how electricity is generated and offers simple strategies on how to conserve energy at home.

Positioning the solar panels at different angles to the light source demonstrates different levels of power generated.

A young visitor spins a wheel to generate electricity at "Make a Watt."

Visitors are surprised to discover how much more energy is required to light traditional light bulbs as opposed to energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs.

Explore Different Ways to Generate Electricity, Learn How Solar Panels Work and Discover Simple Things You Can Do to Conserve Energy.

So Watt! An Illuminating Look at Energy at the Fleet Science Center focuses on electricity production, alternative sources of energy, and basic conservation strategies you can try at home and at work.

So Watt! features five interactive exhibits, including a touch-screen interface where you can monitor electricity being generated by 10,000 square feet of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on the roof of the Science Center. Owned and operated by SDG&E, the PV system is capable of generating more than 100 kilowatts (kW) of electricity at peak production for San Diego’s power grid.

Generate your own electricity at the Make a Watt exhibit and learn how much energy it takes to produce a watt. At Watt’s the Difference? you’ll will learn more about the six most common ways electricity is produced—fossil fuels, nuclear, hydroelectric, geothermal, wind, and solar—then find out where most of California’s power comes from. Every form of energy production has pros and cons, and after learning a bit about these impacts, you’ll have an opportunity to vote for the energy source YOU think should be used most for generating electricity in the next 20 years.

Ever wonder how solar panels work? At the Watt’s in the Sun? exhibit, solar power is demystified with a down-to-earth explanation of how photovoltaic (PV) panels produce electricity from sunlight. You can be a solar engineer at this exhibit by adjusting a small photovoltaic (PV) panel, lining it up with a light source and creating enough electricity to power a small fan. Nearby, an interactive touch-screen exhibit called Watt’s on the Roof? lets you investigate real-time and historical data on how much electricity is being produced by the Fleet’s rooftop PV system.

Watt about Me? is an interactive exhibit that demonstrates a wide variety of simple ways to conserve electricity at home and at work. By flipping switches on a scale model of a typical house, you’ll discover how the energy consumption level changes as you implement various conservation measures.

Produced by Fleet Science Center staff, So Watt! An Illuminating Look at Energy is made possible by grants from San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and Shell Trading with additional support from the Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation.